Amritpal Singh, the leader of the fugitive Waris Punjab De and a supporter of Khalistan, urged the head priest to call a “Sarbat Khalsa (assembly of Sikhs)” on Baisakhi in a video statement on Wednesday, just a day after Punjab Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Bhagwant Mann criticised the Akal Takht’s acting Jathedar Giani Harpre (April 14).
Amritpal is currently seeking refuge in the Akal Takht, the highest temporal seat of the Sikh community, and insisting that it call a special assembly of Sikhs from all over the world to discuss the issues facing the community. Amritpal is unable to provide any convincing justification for playing the cat-and-mouse game with the police and is not experiencing a groundswell of support in Punjab.
Even though Amritpal, who has been hiding out since the Punjab police cracked down on him and his associates on March 18, it does not augur well for the Akal Takht Jathedar’s institution. Additionally, it puts more pressure on the AAP administration, which must now win a crucial byelection for the Jalandhar Lok Sabha seat.
A CM has never before Had expressed such open opposition to the Akal Takht Jathedar, who was long regarded as the Sikh community’s ultimate leader and spokesperson.